FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Tuesday 3/7/23

Since it's much simpler to predict than baseball or football, daily fantasy basketball would get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right?

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

We'll also come at you with this primer daily, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

The Slate and Key Injuries

Tuesday's eight-game slate has plenty of activity on the injury report.

This morning, Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) was ruled out for the Bucks. Jrue Holiday (neck) is also questionable as they travel to Orlando. The Magic have Wendell Carter Jr. (hip) and Gary Harris (groin) listed as questionable.

Of course, for the first time on a weekday, it's worth noting Ja Morant won't suit up for Memphis for quite a while due to off-the-court issues. Brandon Clarke also tore his Achilles on Friday and is out for the year. They're in Los Angeles tonight to battle a Lakers squad with D'Angelo Russell (ankle) listed as questionable. Mohamed Bamba (ankle) is out for L.A.

The Knicks didn't need Jalen Brunson (foot) in their marquee win on Sunday, and we'll see if Brunson suits up against Charlotte.

Washington has Kyle Kuzma (knee) and Monte Morris (back) listed as questionable after missing their game Sunday versus the Bucks. They're in Detroit, and the Pistons' injury circus rolls on. They've got all of Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles), Killian Hayes (hand), Hamidou Diallo (ankle), Isaiah Stewart (hip), Jalen Duren (ankle), James Wiseman (knee), and Rodney McGruder (ankle) all up in the air. Good grief.

The Thunder could be down breakout stud Jalen Williams due to a sprained wrist as they host the Warriors. Golden State is still without Andrew Wiggins (personal).

Tobias Harris (calf) and P.J. Tucker (back) missed last night's 76ers contest, and they're questionable tonight in Minnesota.

Finally, Utah should be back to full strength outside of Collin Sexton (hamstring). They're in Dallas, and the Mavs have Maxi Kleber (hamstring) listed as a question mark.

Guards

Stephen Curry ($9,500) is back, and it didn't take him long to reclaim his spot at the top of the Dubs' scoring hierarchy. He dropped 27 points in 32 minutes on Sunday.

The minutes are the key story. He's posted 50.5 FanDuel points per 36 minutes with Wiggins off the floor this season, so he's in a great spot facing a Thunder squad allowing the 13th-most FanDuel points per game to floor generals.

It's pretty tough sledding to spend at guard behind, but I still have interest in Terry Rozier ($7,900) in a game where we'll be rostering the other side in droves. Rozier just hasn't made good on a team-best 29.9% usage rate with LaMelo Ball off the floor due to 37.3% shooting since Ball's injury. Could this be the spot he gets hot?

Tyus Jones and Immanuel Quickley have massive salaries after their super efforts substituting on Sunday. The two average just 34.4 and 32.6 FanDuel points per 36 minutes, respectively, so don't expect the production to stick around. Jones had an unsustainable five steals against the turnover-prone Clippers, and Dillon Brooks ($5,000) is back for Memphis. He's one of the worst plays on the slate at salary but should be decently popular.

In terms of value, De'Anthony Melton ($4,600) should have a sizable role again with Philadelphia likely shorthanded. Mike Conley ($5,800) and Josh Green ($4,500) are also hovering around 30 minutes at modest salaries.

Khris Middleton ($6,400) and Jevon Carter ($4,400) are the members of the Milwaukee value train from this area, and Jrue Holiday ($8,300) would also be viable if he can suit up.

Wings

With Giannis out, this group doesn't have a headliner, but we're not short on choices.

Lauri Markkanen ($8,600) is in a great spot against a Mavs squad allowing the seventh-most FanDuel points to small forwards over their last seven games. Dallas is devoid of defensive wing talent after the Kyrie Irving deal.

Mikal Bridges ($8,500) is for real, folks. He's turned a 26.9% usage rate into 43.0 FanDuel points per 36 minutes since the trade, and he draws the bottom-of-the-barrel Houston D on Tuesday. If you believe the six-point spread holds, Brooklyn should produce several monstrous scores, so add Spencer Dinwiddie ($8,400) and Nic Claxton ($7,300) to the shopping list.

The best remaining spots to target the Grizzlies are largely Desmond Bane ($8,200) and the aforementioned Dillon Brooks. They've posted usage rates of 28.7% and 27.8%, respectively, with Ja off the floor this season.

With Brunson off the floor, RJ Barrett ($6,500) has turned a solid 29.3% usage rate into 32.6 FanDuel points per 36 this season. He's awesome if Jalen sits in a pace-up spot with the Hornets.

It's a good thing Franz Wagner ($5,900) is projecting well. He works as a bring-back option as we're poised to load up on Bucks value plays, which would be Grayson Allen ($4,700) and Pat Connaughton ($4,400) from this positional group.

Others projecting well on Tuesday's slate include Anthony Edwards ($8,900), Cameron Johnson ($6,000), and Malik Beasley ($5,300).

Bigs

Barrett and Julius Randle ($10,000) are the best ways to target Brunson sitting, and Randle's matchup is about as good as it gets. Over the last 15 games, the Hornets are allowing the most FanDuel points to opposing power forwards.

Randle leads a three-horse race for the top big today. Of course, Anthony Davis ($11,500) rolls out of bed on 60-FanDuel-point watch with LeBron James out of the lineup, and he just torched the Grizzlies for 61.8 FanDuel points last week.

However, the dark horse is Jaren Jackson Jr. ($8,100), who averages an absurd 53.1 FanDuel points per 36 with Ja off the floor. I'd argue he's the highest priority of the Memphis guys, but his path to failure is obvious -- perpetual foul trouble. Xavier Tillman ($5,700) has locked down the other 30-minute role for Memphis' frontcourt after Clarke's injury.

Luckily, none of those three clog the pivot, so we can look at value there. Kelly Olynyk ($5,800) is shining in our projections after eclipsing 28 FanDuel points in five of his last seven. Of course, Brook Lopez ($7,000) is a key target with Giannis and Jrue both potentially out, averaging 42.4 FanDuel points per 36 with those two off the floor.

Bobby Portis ($6,200) is another key piece from the Bucks where any of the regulars are viable. If we get to Orlando's frontcourt on the other side, it'll be with Wendell Carter Jr. out, freeing up Moritz Wagner ($4,400) and Bol Bol ($4,300). Carter with monitored minutes would likely squash all parties.

Jabari Smith ($5,500) might be the last value target here, but he's likely a better fit for a projected blowout than a tight affair with Brooklyn.